


Maybe I Could Stay For You

by Deyanira



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, Anal Sex, Awkward Carlos, Carlos tends to be a wallflower, He doesn't get invited anywhere anymore, M/M, Masturbation, Oral Sex, POCecil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2014-06-03
Packaged: 2018-01-06 20:59:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1111451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deyanira/pseuds/Deyanira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos is invited to his colleagues' engagement party. He's not a big fan of large gatherings, but attends for the sake of saving face. He certainly wasn't expecting to see someone who would end up catching his eye, and maybe his affections.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Downsides of Falling Behind

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on the ever-wonderful [goddess-in-green's](http://goddess-in-green.tumblr.com/post/70377617013/i-feel-like-it-truly-isnt-a-stream-until-we-delve) [Stripper Vale AU](http://goddess-in-green.tumblr.com/post/71270608736/no-really-guys-there-are-a-lot-of-strippers). I fell in love with the idea, and ended up really wanting to write it, despite the fact I'm actually asexual.  
> The chapters will grow more NSFW as time goes on.

Carlos sighed as he looked at the small invitation sitting in front of him. It wasn’t as if going to weddings was not fun, nor the bachelor parties interesting. He just wasn’t interested, seeing as most of his colleagues tended to be rather, well, straight. Not that the scientist minded that either, but it wasn’t fun going to bachelor parties when the strippers involved were women. It made him feel uncomfortable, and he would end up wandering towards the kitchen in search of a snack or two to pacify his mood while the strippers worked.

Now that he lived and worked in Night Vale, with all the horrifying things which happened on a daily basis, there wasn’t really any time to go out with the team. It wasn’t until maybe a few months after they arrived was when they really got comfortable. Carlos picked up the invitation again, flipping it over to read over the details. Even Night Vale had a strip club, and one with male dancers at that. A joint with male and female dancers was rare where he was from; maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. The black and white border seemed to contrast more than usual. “Hmmm,” he murmured softly while he packed up his work for the night. Refusing to go would be rude, selfish even.   
Picking up his phone, he texted the other party goers he would make it after all.

______________

“Carlos, come on, it’s not so bad,” Carol’s voice was bright and cheery as they shopped together for a gift.

“I’m afraid I would have to disagree, on the grounds that I’m only invited because I’m one of the head scientists of the team.”

“I doubt that’s the only reason they invited you.”

“Go ahead and ask if you’re so sure. I’m positive. I could build an entire hypothesis around it, based on my current observations. I’m not saying the team dislikes me. In fact, I’m fairly sure you all enjoy my company, however, my reputation at parties and clubs proceeds me.”

“Uh-huh. How about this?” Rather than argue the point, Carol pulled out a gyroscope.

“Yeah, I suppose that works. I’m already the worst at gift-giving. I mean, not when it’s something very important. I don’t consider this as such.”

“You’re the worst, Carlos. The absolute worst. Loosen up and have some fun! I’m suggesting this because you still avoid Fascinations as if it contained the plague.”

“That’s because I get a headache whenever I look for too long,” Carlos snapped back. Groaning softly, he shook his head to clear his thoughts while his coworker looked on, utterly amused.

“Alright, Carlos. I’m gonna leave you here. I know what I’ve getting, so I’ll let you be. See you tonight!~” He watched as she walked away. The man wanted out, he felt trapped into something he didn’t want to do. Jose was a great guy, a good friend. Kyle was also great, and their engagement  was good for them. Carlos just didn’t know what to do, because if he backed out at the last minute, well, that would make him an asshole. And no one really wanted that. Social interaction really shouldn’t have been this difficult. The scientist checked out, avoiding one of the many Angels Old Woman Josie seemed to keep around. He could never look at them directly, either.

Driving home took less time than usual. As did getting up to his apartment and setting aside everything to just relax. “You’re going to have fun tonight!” He murmured to himself while he undressed. The shower was just starting to fog up the bathroom. Carlos hummed a soft melody as he scrubbed, making himself appear at least somewhat presentable. After checking around the apartment to be sure the salt lines were unbroken, he left a note for the Faceless Old Woman saying he would be out late tonight. Back to the car, and off to the club. He hoped it wouldn’t be a late night, but there was no avoiding it now. The scientist glanced at the directions again, wondering what sort of club would be named King’s Ransom. Then again, this was Night Vale. When he pulled into the parking lot, the sun was just starting to set, the sky growing a hazy sort of purple. Glancing at the time, he noticed the sun was setting at 9 P.M., significantly later than usual.

He turned the key, shutting off the engine of the car, still debating whether to go in or not.  “Oh what the hell, I’m here anyway, might as well,” he muttered, pulling his key free and opening the door. Anxiety rose as he got closer to the door of the club, fumbling with his wallet to cover the entry fee. While not usually easily intimidated, the woman was certainly imposing. Waving him on, Carlos scurried into the rather dark club, avoiding eye contact until he got to the table his friends and colleagues were at. “Carlos! You made it!” Carol’s voice cut through the music and the background chatter.

“Yeah, I made it.” Turning his attention to the happy couple, the scientist grinned sheepishly. “Congratulations, you two.”

“Thanks, man. Oh, you got us something?” Jose grinned, reaching to take the box from his hands.  
“Yeah, it’s nothing fancy. I realize I should have gotten something more intimate, but I can’t go into Fascinations for some reason.”

“No problem. I know you like cool science things, so I’m sure it has something to do with that. Meanwhile, we can kick back and relax. Ginger’s about to come on stage, according to the announcement a couple of minutes ago.”

“Oh, cool.” Carlos sat down in one of the empty seats, appearing more than uncomfortable as the lean male strutted out, smiling and winking on occasion. This definitely wasn’t his scene. Definitely not. Eventually his eyes wandered up to the redhead on stage, mesmerized as those hips swung and he dropped down against the pole. Maybe he could get used to doing this every once in a while. Not that it mattered either way, he was a single man. He didn’t mind it, but sometimes he wondered what Night Vale would be like if he wasn’t single. The scientist huffed, returning his gaze to the dancer, crawling towards the patrons near the stage, scout outfit barely covering anything. He was certainly attractive, in Carlos’ opinion. Maybe a touch too toned, but that hardly mattered.

Another announcement echoed out as Ginger made his way offstage and into the crowd. The scientist wasn’t paying much attention, focusing on his phone to help calm his nerves. He knew he was being rude, but he told his friends over and over this wasn’t his scene. Quiet snickering forced him to look up, and his eyes widened. The current dancer on the stage stripped slowly, making each movement as sensual as possible. As each piece of clothing seemed to melt off, lovely tan skin appeared, rippling attractively. Carlos couldn’t keep his eyes off of him, cliche as it was to admit.

He felt a jab at his side, breaking the trance as he glared at Carol while she giggled at him. Oh, how he wished he had paid attention earlier, just to have a stage name! He pinched the bridge of his nose, sliding his glasses up. “Damn it,” he muttered to himself, watching as the long hair of the other man seem to float behind him as he walked off.

‘Beep beep!’ Carlos looked down at his phone, noticing a text from Jose. Opening the message, he smiled. “His “name” is Deep Throat, but sources say his name is Cecil. So you can stop acting like an idiot.” If it were any other place at any other time, he probably would have cuffed him, but for now he remained seated. The scientist chewed his lip, waiting for the approximate amount of time it would take for him to be able to leave without seeming like a bad person for ditching. The rest of the night was uneventful as he never saw the mysterious Deep Throat again, but noticed Strex Kitten appeared to look just like him. It was getting late. “Since we’re all out, and no doubt you all will get absolutely smashed tonight at a bar, we’re taking tomorrow off at the lab.”

“Wait, really?!” His labmates seemed shocked.  
“Yes! Now if you don’t mind, I’m on my way home. I’ve stayed long enough. Congratulations Kyle, Jose. I’ll see you all the day after tomorrow. Be safe!” With a smile, blissfully thinking, ‘I’m finally home-free!’ Carlos made his way out of the club, leaving a large tip before exiting into the cool night air. Taking a deep breath, he shook his head and laughed at the absurdity of it all. Finding an exotic dancer, after realizing he was probably the most sought after stripper in the whole of the club? Laughable. Pitiful. And yet he felt the inexplicable desire to get to know the man.

“Soon.” He hummed softly.


	2. A Dance or Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlos manages to return to the club, firmly believing he will gain the courage talk to Deep Throat.

There was no time for Carlos to go to the club again. And when he did have time, he agonized over  actually going to the club alone. With friends, there was a group, safety in numbers. He could avoid unwanted attention. Groaning, the scientist put away the plate he was washing and threw down one of his dishrags. It shouldn’t have been so...so, like this! Worrying and terrifying! He faced the Street Cleaners, the Glowing Crystal in the sky, but a club which most men probably went to several times over the course of the month defeated him. He slid down against the cabinet, wanting to tear his hair out. “Who even worries about this stuff?” He asked to no one in particular. A soft ‘whoosh’ of paper caused him to look down into his lap.

“Carlos,

I have been watching you do this over and over. And while you’re usually a tolerable roommate, I’m finding that your actions are grating. Not very personable of a roommate, if you ask me. Not that people ask me very often. You should ask your mayoral candidate for her opinion. I wouldn’t mind it, you know. I promise I’m quite knowledgeable on a number of subjects, such as imaginary corn! I have many ideas about-”

The scientist stopped reading after the spiel about imaginary corn and how Hiram was the worst possible candidate for mayor. While the Faceless Old Woman was hardly good for conversation, he realized he was being a little annoying. “I’m sorry, ma’am,” he called out into his seemingly empty home. Better to be polite than not. Carlos rocked onto his feet, standing up and supporting himself on the counter. ‘Tomorrow, after work,’ he swore to himself.

________________________

Being a man of science wasn’t easy. The seismographs were always showing some sort of earthquake, and it was difficult to discern why. Clocks weren’t real, instead a grey sludge with a voracious appetite when released from their case. The team voted to keep one of the larger clock creatures in a tank, hoping their simulated habitat would work for the animal. So far it seemed to thrive, even enjoying the occasional pat the ecologists seemed to spare. Carlos himself had yet to pet it, though he was the one who freed it in the first place. “Hey, Jose? Do you mind double checking these numbers for me? Anthony seems to think they’re fine. The results have been replicated, but you never can be too careful.”

“Yeah, sure. So. About the party at the club...Have you been back since?” Jose chuckled, reading over the papers he was handed.

“No. We’re not discussing this here, understand?”

“Whatever you say, boss.” Jose rolled his eyes, nearly running back to his station in confusion. Thankfully, Carlos was left alone for the rest of the day, everyone too busy to properly talk about anything other than work. One by one, his team drifted out the door while he waited for some particularly stubborn DNA fragments to move. None of them, not even the smaller fragments wanted to move at all, not even with coaxing. Making a small noise of frustration, he shut off the machine. Maybe he could try tomorrow. The scientist began to properly dispose of the gel, inspecting other benches on his way out. He turned to lock the door, taking one last look to make sure all the lights were off.

It was dark outside, the stars and Milky Way plainly visible. A smile quirked his lips as he walked to his car, humming softly.

The spattering of stars gave him a sense of confidence, just enough to actually drive over to the club again. Carlos bit into his lip, worried again. ‘What if he’s not here? What if he’s busy with another customer? Oh god, what if I’m just too weird?’ Sighing, he leaned shifted in the driver’s seat, knowing full well he was over-analyzing the situation. Deep Throat was only a stripper. He wasn’t going to whisk him off into science-filled adventures such as setting up various experiments around town and having someone to relax with after work. The scientist shook his head repeatedly, trying to clear his head. There was no reason to be thinking about all these completely implausible scenarios. At all. He groaned, sinking in his seat. He couldn’t do this. ‘You have to do this,’ Carlos thought. ‘You promised yourself, and you don’t break promises.’ A new sense of revolve seemed to take over as he exited his car. While he wouldn’t call his walk a swagger, it was certainly more confident than the first time he walked in. The same bouncer stood at the door, sort of giving him a half smile as he paid. “Have a good one, Mr. Scientist!” Looking down at his attire, he flushed. He was still wearing his lab coat from the day. At any other time, he would call it a breach, but there was nothing to stain it, nor had anything spilled on him.

Being here without a group was disorienting. There was a row of chairs circling around the stage, but there were plenty of people there already. Carlos wanted to be comfortable. And wasn’t there an expectation of getting tips there? He could afford to, but didn’t feel like waiting through all the other dancers’ routines. ‘What if he isn’t here?’ The scientist paled. He hadn’t accounted for the fact he may not be here at all. He needed to sit down, right now. Finding an empty table was easy enough, seeing as this was really quite early for a Friday night.

Carlos settled on the chair, running a hand through his hair. Music blared across the room, familiar from before. Sitting up, he turned to look at the stage, eyes widening with shock. Deep Throat was here after all, just starting his set.

He stared at him. The scientist just couldn’t help himself, watching as the dancer swung his hips sensually, dropping back for a moment. Glossy hair wrapped about him for only a moment as he made his way to the front. For a single, glorious moment, they locked eyes. Or it seemed that way, just then. A blush colored his cheeks. Swaying, and then on the pole, easily staying, then sliding down the pole. Obviously a rather popular choice, as the money seemed to keep pouring from the other patrons, all in favor of this man. Carlos could definitely see why. The way he moved, almost languid and hardly thought out, just...instinct. The lighting seemed to follow him as he strutted on the stage.

The scientist popped open the top buttons on his flannel shirt, suddenly finding his body growing warm the more he watched Deep Throat working the stage. “Can I get you anything?” Carlos turned to see a young woman offering drinks.

“I’m afraid not. Thanks, though,” he answered, returning his gaze to the stage. Distraction, really. The lavender streaks of hair contrasted so nicely with the warm brown sugar of his skin. Shrugging off his lab coat, he  tucked his chin into his hand, completely entranced. No man should be able to do this to him, oh no. Never had Carlos been stuck on anyone so completely. Usually science captivated him more than anything else, and this highly unusual response was worth studying. For science. Well, sort of.

He almost felt bad when Deep Throat’s set was over, seeing as he didn’t go up to the ring around the stage to give him money. The scientist sighed, flush finally disappearing from his skin when he noticed he was almost prowling the floor in search of someone to entertain. How did one flag down a stripper for a dance? ‘Idiot, you were so intent on avoiding this and now you want to do it? You won’t be able to get anywhere near him, let alone ask for a lap dance.’ The little voice in the back of his mind seemed to disagree with his current prerogative, but no one discovered anything new without taking risks.

Carlos raised his hand slightly off the table, straightening his posture. He took a few deep breaths, intentionally locking eyes with the other man. Was he..? He was getting closer, as if circling prey. With his luck, that’s how a lap dance worked here in Night Vale. The scientist could feel his throat drying with every step the stripper took, right up until he was practically in his lap. “Er, hello?” There was no possible way he couldn’t make this anymore awkward than he already did.

Cecil tilted his head, somewhat confused at how the younger man was acting. Surely he couldn’t be so shy if he was so forward about calling him over? “Are you okay? You look like you’re about to pass out.”

His voice. How could a voice sound so soothing and warm? “No, I’m fine, I swear. I...you’re. Maldita sea! I’m sorry. Can we start over?”

“Um. Sure?”

“I would...I would like a dance or two?” Carlos’ voice seemed to slide up the register, cracking at the end.

“Let me see if any of the private rooms are open. I’ll be back, so stay put, alright?” Carlos nodded, watching as he walked away. The scientist wanted to smack himself. Rather than focus on his utter ineptitude, he looked around the club, noting the smaller details he never really noticed before. The walls were pink and purple, a diamond pattern seeming to stretch into infinity. Lights were not as bright as he recalled from earlier, likely due to the change in dancers. A brighter song began playing, but Carlos tuned it out, already feeling jittery for what was about to occur. His leg bounced in time with the beat, a nervous habit he acquired from test-taking in college. A gentle touch on his shoulder snapped him out of his trance.

“I reserved a space for us. Before we go in, we need to negotiate price.”

“Okay.”

“Sixty per song, no exceptions.”  
“F-f-fine with m-m-me,” he managed, standing up from his chosen safe spot. Cecil gave him a warm smile, reaching for his hand to lead him to the room. He could feel his stomach knotting over and over, nervousness beginning to get to him. It was harder to breathe when they weaved through people, barely avoiding most of the patrons. On stage, he noticed Cecil’s double? Twin? The scientist wasn’t sure, nor did he really care at the moment. There were other, more pressing matters, such as the dimly lit room, and just this moment, here.

The dancer dropped his hand after making sure Carlos was settled on the couch. “Don’t worry, I’ll take very good care of you~,” Cecil purred. Although assurance was nice, the scientist was still nervous, averting his eyes. “You can’t pay for a dance and not pay attention. Look. At. Me. It’s alright to look and enjoy it. What’s your name?”

Carlos looked up. “O-okay. Err, Carlos.” He still couldn’t help but nibble on his lip, anticipating the worst. Such as fainting in the middle of it. The dancer placed a hand on his jaw, tracing along it, smiling. “You have lovely eyes, almost...lavender?” 

“Thank you, Carlos. Just relax.” Cecil moved to straddle his left thigh, rocking against him in time with the music. The scientist could feel the knots in his stomach unwinding. Watching Deep Throat work, it was definitely soothing and more than erotic. He tentatively reached out to run a hand along the plane of his chest, surprised at how warm the other man was. The dancer smiled, nodding his approval before backing off of him completely, turning around to sit on his lap. Carlos couldn’t breathe properly, a dull throbbing setting in decidedly south of his navel. Every time the dancer pushed against him, small waves of pleasure ebbed and flowed in time with each moment of pressure. Huffing softly, the scientist lifted a hand to slide down Cecil’s torso, slipping the eighty dollar tip into the band of those rather short shorts. The way Cecil seemed to hum with approval certainly helped matters. The other man leaned forward, pulling off and giving a small twirl to show himself off. “You’re gorgeous,” Carlos breathed as the second song was nearing its end. Flashing a smile, he settled onto the scientist’s lap again, grinding against him hard, reveling in Carlos’ moans and heavy panting. When the last beat faded away, the stripper pulled off of him slowly. “A-a-amazing. H-h-here.” He handed the performer his full payment. “Enjoy the tip. I’ll be back soon f-f-for another.”

Cecil smiled at the still-flustered man of science. “I’ll be looking forward to it. Nice meeting you, Carlos.” With a wink, he sashayed out of the room, leaving Carlos aroused and somewhat disappointed. Standing and stepping out of the chair, the scientist smiled to himself.

Sleep came easier that night than most nights, as he replayed how it felt to have Cecil’s body pressed against him. No more rolling about the mattress, restless and uneasy. Maybe making the habit of going to a club for one dancer would get rather expensive, but he hardly went out as it was. Besides, having a little time to oneself never hurt anyone. Carlos nudged his head against his pillow before consciousness fell away to dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Carlos is still a total wall flower, but he's trying. I'm going to TRY to put out a new chapter every week, however, school is starting up again soon, so it may fall back to once every two weeks.


	3. Courage In A Bottle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlos runs into a very familiar face at the Ralphs, and manages to convince Cecil to come home with him.

“Now, see? That wasn’t so hard, was it, Carlos?” Cecil’s voice had him in a trance. The scientist was sliding down a pole just as Cecil had demonstrated, giggling. Sitting on the stage, the room empty except for the two of them.

“No, but I don’t know how you do it night after night, in front of a crowd,” Carlos snorted, not really enjoying the look on his companion’s face.

“It’s not so difficult; in the beginning, yes. Not anymore.” Cecil smiled widely at him, making sure the scientist paid attention to his current instructions. “Come down here, just for a moment.”

“Okay.” He jumped off the stage, sauntering to the dancer. His hands felt warm on his cheek, and he leaned forward, just about to-

BANG!

Carlos blinked awake, bleary-eyed and rather grumpy. Rubbing the dream sand from his face, he groaned. How long had he been out for? Looking over to his clock, another groan slipped out. He had slept through his alarm long enough to see it had been smashed by his less-than-kind roommate. “You know, I wouldn’t have to keep buying new alarm clocks if you would let me have just one!” He called out, rolling his eyes. It was a Saturday, he wasn’t needed in the lab, but nonetheless he preferred to wake at the same time each day. It made it less difficult to keep his sleep schedule normal. No response.

He rolled over to check his phone, realizing he slept in much later than usual. Eleven in the morning wasn’t necessarily wasting his day, but there was something likeable and normal about keeping a schedule, unlike how it worked here in Night Vale.  Maybe it wasn’t quite right to complain; but he still enjoyed the normal aspect of life every now and then, although not quite with other aspects. He glanced down at his boxers, noting the rather prominent tent in the front. Carlos made a face, not wanting to quite deal with it right now. There was the matter of grocery shopping for actual healthy food, and not just noodles. He felt he could put that off until he dealt with this. Settling back against the padded mattress, the scientist slipped a hand into his boxers and wrapped it around his erection. He sighed, eyes fluttering closed to think about whatever most interested him. Science, of course, but science wasn’t sexy. Physics was, sort of. The gravity pulling on his body should have been more…

Long hair, soft within his calloused hands. His name wrapped around that voice, dark and wonderful, gasping. Skin almost blending with his own, pleading with him. Carlos bit into his lip, groaning; his hand moving faster along his length.

He imagined those pretty lips trailing kisses down his chest; light, teasing touches against his cock. Those eyes, bright and mischievous, almost smirking as he would run his tongue along the head. Fuck. Carlos moaned, letting himself fall into his fantasy, cumming only moments later. Gasping for breath, he opened his eyes, noting his sheets were tangled about his legs. ‘Shower. Then to the grocery store,’ he thought to himself, wiping his hands off with a towelette. The scientist made his way to the shower to clean up further and get ready for his day.   
______________________________  
The Ralphs was soothing. Not in the sense there weren’t any horrors to be seen, but more along the lines of how organized it all was reminded him of the corner shop in his neighborhood from childhood. Carlos picked up various vegetables, some spices. Sofrito would have to be made if he wanted to cook tonight. And that meant pulling out the blender, measuring things, chopping up cilantro and peppers. So much work to do! He could buy minced garlic, of course, but it didn’t taste the same. Resigning himself to cut and open up the garlic himself, he picked up a few bulbs. Never a reason not to keep garlic around. The scientist picked up some questionable meats and made his way to the registers. He had some extra fire at home, provided the Faceless Old Woman hadn’t used it.

The place was packed, with only two lanes open. He couldn’t help but groan, not wanting to waste time standing around in line. Neither seemed shorter than the other, so the scientist stayed in place, stepping forward when need be. Did time seem slower? It felt that way. Carlos felt someone knock into him, a small ‘unf’ squeezed passed his lips. “I’m so sorry!”

“It’s fi-,” he stopped himself, as the voice sounded so familiar. Turning back, the rest of his response refused to come out. It was Deep Throat standing there, looking rather out of place in a colorful, oversized T-shirt and monstrously neon pants. “H-hey!” The scientist sputtered, flushing a deep scarlet at seeing the dancer outside of the club. 

“Hello?” Cecil sounded confused, even appearing so. Carlos knew the man knew exactly who he was, but he wasn’t sure why he was playing dumb.

“N-n-n-never mind. Thought you were... thought you were someone else.” He hated when he did that, repeating phrases when he wasn’t sure what to do. It was a tic he never really grew out of. Carlos turned to the register, placing his items onto the belt. ‘Way to go, idiot, you probably scared him off, and he probably won’t ever want to dance for me again. Fuck,’ he thought as he paid. Once he hurried himself out of the store, the scientist turned back to look at the man again, that beautiful hair just tied back in a low ponytail. His light purple hair was just as striking in the daylight. Sighing softly, he opened his car and loaded the groceries. “Maybe in another lifetime, Agarín,” he muttered as he sat in the driver’s seat, only to hear the sound of crumpling paper. “Hmm?” His hand slipped into his pocket to find a note he was sure he didn’t have walking into the store. Opening the paper, there was unfamiliar writing.   
“Come see me tonight ;) - Deep Throat”

Maybe tonight wouldn’t be so boring after all.

_____________________________

Carlos was showering again, taking extra care to at least appear more than presentable for the other man, hair somewhat tamed. He was in nicer clothing this time around, not wanting to disappoint the dancer once he arrived at the club. The scientist already pulled out the money he would be using for the night, bringing along a little more than two hundred dollars, just in case.

He left a note for the Faceless Old Woman who lived in his home, kindly asking her to refrain to destroying any more property, and slipped it next to the note with the new Wi-Fi password. Better to be safe than sorry. Carlos rolled his shoulders before he strolled out, taking his time in driving to the King’s Ransom, and praying he wasn’t wrong about Cecil. The note could have been a joke for all he knew, but he hoped not as he pulled into the parking lot. It seemed a lot fuller tonight and there was a line at the door. “Fuck,” he cursed under his breath. The last thing he wanted was to be in a large crowd, but it couldn’t really be helped. Not tonight. Resigning himself to the back of the line, he took measured steps towards the front, as they all filed forward into the club.

The bouncer seemed to recognize him as he offered over the entrance fee. “Enjoy, Mr. Scientist~,” she called. Carlos looked back for a moment, confused. It didn’t seem to matter as he continued into darkened room, all lights and most eyes on the stage. He found himself a seat, kicking back to watch the show. It was Ginger on stage, showing off his knot tying skills. The dancer almost looked innocent. Almost. The occasional winks he gave the crowd along with the dip of his hips seemed to entrance everyone. He wasn’t really Carlos’ type, but right now, it would serve to entertain while he waited for Deep Throat. Ginger continued on, displaying his rope-tying skills proudly. ‘Wonder if he was a boy scout when he was a kid.’ The scientist’s musings continued on until a “Double Dipping” set was announced. That piqued his interest, immediately straightening up from his usual slouch. A brighter song began to play as Deep Throat and his twin? double? strutted on stage, all smiles and sensuality. He could feel his cheeks blazing as they entwined for an almost-kiss. Separating, he could see the other dancer’s hair was shorter, blond. Facial structure was practically the same, though Cecil had piercings. “What is your name, hmm?” Carlos murmured to himself. He knew it started with an S, but it wasn’t altogether pressing until they pressed against each other again. His teeth dug into his lip, clothing feeling a little too tight. ‘Tap, tap, tap, tap.’ On reflex, his leg bounced, trying to keep himself from getting a little too far too fast. Were sets always this long? “Sir, can I get you anything?” The same young woman who offered him drinks last night.

“Er, no thank you. Maybe just a bottle of water?”

“One moment.” The scientist watched her pluck a bottle from behind the bar, returning his attention to Deep Throat and his partner.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you. Wait just a moment. What is the blonde’s name?”

“Strex Kitten, sir. Will that be all?”

“Er, yes.” Carlos pulled out his wallet to pay and tip the woman, still feeling rather flushed. Strex Kitten and Deep Throat entwined for the last time, parting slowly after. Another sweeping walk of the stage, and the scientist’s eyes followed Cecil offstage. He wasn’t planning on being smooth tonight; there was no reason to even attempt it. Both dancers sought out various people to dance for, Deep Throat seeming particularly lazy about making his way over to the scientist.

He nursed his drink, waiting for the other, flagging him down. Cecil’s sauntering was always something to hold in high esteem. “You did get my note, Carlos.” His honeyed voice seemed to melt around his own name, oh god, how did he do that?

“Yes, though I’m c-c-curious as to why you didn’t even greet me at all. Did I do something wrong?”

“Not at all. Just a strict rule I made for myself. Although Night Vale in itself can be rather dangerous, I try to keep by my own rules to avoid trouble.”

“I’m trouble?”

“Maybe,” Cecil purred, a hand caressing Carlos’ cheek.

“I would h-h-hope not!” Carlos couldn’t help but start stammering again, bewitched by the stripper as always. The other man grinned, slipping his hand down, trailing down the scientist’s torso, only stopping to settle on his palm.

“I made sure to keep a room open. Call it intuition, but I had a feeling you would show up tonight~.”

“How could I not? The winky face did me in,” he admitted, blushing.

“I knew it would. Come along, then. I can’t keep the reservation forever.” The scientist bounced off the chair, immediately following the stripper towards the same room as before. Still the same pink and purple diamond pattern, blessedly cushiony couch, lovely door closing behind them.

“How long do I get to keep you for, then? I’m sure you and Strex Kitten have plenty of eager customers.” The words tumbled out before he could stop them, and he immediately regretted it after seeing the hurt in those lavender eyes. “Cecil, I’m so, so sorry, I- I should go. I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t worry about it. No. Stay.”

“I’m an ass. Sometimes I talk without thinking about what I’m about to say. It’s gotten me into trouble several times. Ugh. I’ll just go. Give you your money for tonight.” Carlos was already up and near the door.

“Carlos. Sit down.” He gently took Carlos’ arm and sat him back down on the couch. “I know you are often uncomfortable in this situation, but believe me, it’s fine. I’ve had other people call me worse things. I don’t even know why I’m telling you this. You’re practically still a stranger. A somewhat dorky stranger. How do you know my name?”

“Er. My colleague. When I was at his party, I apparently couldn’t keep my eyes off of you. They thought it was great I was taking an interest in something other than science,” he answered, growing quiet and fidgety.

“Hmmm.” Cecil hummed softly, nodding along in time with the song.

“Three songs are all I can pay for tonight along with a big tip.” The dancer didn’t answer him, only pressing his hand on his chest to push him against the back of the couch, settling himself onto the scientist’s lap and rocking against him. Carlos settled his hands on Cecil’s hips, looking up to watch him instead of wallowing in the dark and faraway place he often found himself when he made a faux pas. They kept in pace with each other, the scientist squeezing the flesh beneath his hands gently, releasing him slowly. Languid movements compared to the first time. When the dancer pulled off of him, he found himself wanting to be right next to him again. On top of him. Beneath him. Everything. Dark eyes followed those hips as they swayed and moved closer yet again. “Anything you want in particular?”

“You. Just. You,” Carlos answered, reaching forward to tug on him gently to get him near again. Cecil smiled, running his hands through those luscious locks. The scientist let out a moan, more than enjoying the way he was being treated.

“You sound beautiful,” the dancer purred, working him further. The last song set was nearing an end as Carlos grew ever more flushed. When the last notes played out, Cecil seemed reluctant to get off of him. Pulling out his wallet, he removed the tucked in bills, quickly handing it over to the dancer. “Thank you.”

“You’re w-w-welcome. Will you will you come home with me tonight?” He asked, barely clinging to any hope the other would say yes. Much to his surprise, Cecil’s cheeks tinged pink.

“Oh Carlos. I would love to, but I don’t want to end up breaking your heart.”

“Oh.” Carlos felt a surge of dread pool into his stomach, realizing he should have, again, just kept his mouth shut yet.

“I mean it. You’re a sweet guy, but I have to protect myself, too. But… life isn’t worth living unless you take a few chances. I’ll come home with you tonight. Let me see if I can get out early, alright?”

“Alright. Um. Did you want me to stay in here, or…?”

“Yes. Stay in here until I come back and let you know, alright? My shift is almost over.” With that, he left the scientist alone in the room to ponder his thoughts. Minutes ticked off with songs, two or three passing before Cecil waltzed back in, fully clothed. “Management wasn’t happy, but since you’ve been paying so well, they decided to let me go early. Come on,”  he laughed, eyes bright and utterly cheerful.

“Er. Um. Are you going to leave your car here, or follow me home..?”

“We can leave the car here, unless you need to be somewhere tomorrow?”

“No, not at all. Let me leave another tip at the bar and we can head out.” Carlos hurried off to tip, nodding to the bartender before leading Cecil out.

_________________________

The drive back to his apartment was rather quiet, Cecil giving him small smiles and attempting to encourage conversation. Carlos tried, but he ended up mumbling up until they actually arrived at his place. “I’m sorry, I’m not good for general conversation,” he admitted.

“It’s alright. You live here? I expected something more...I don’t know, science-y?”

“Well, I can walk to work, if that makes any difference. The lab is back this way,” the scientist answered, gesturing towards the cross-street. The dancer made a delighted sound while sticking behind Carlos. Following him up the stairs, asking what sort of science the man did. “I don’t really feel like talking about work right now, if I can be completely honest. I study science. I learned early on specializing in Night Vale would end up being a nightmare.” He unlocked the door after jiggling the knob a few times. It always seemed to get stuck if he didn’t wiggle it around. Opening the door, Carlos led him in, flipping the light switch. Much to his surprise, nothing was out of place.

“Oh, this is lovely!” Cecil seemed completely enamored, immediately rushing to the extra beakers sitting on the table.

“Thanks. Do you want something to drink? Maybe a snack?” He walked to the kitchen, opening up a cupboard to grab two cups.

“Water is fine.” The dancer was preoccupied by the small aquarium taking up part of the living room. “Who is this little guy in here?”

“What do you mean? Raphael? He’s a little guy I’ve had for a few years. Likes to think he’s the boss man, but he’s a scaredy-cat. Is he awake?”

“Swimming around? No, he’s sitting on a leaf.”

“Good. It’s late and he needs to sleep. He’s grumpy enough as it is. Here.” Carlos offered the glass to the other man, settling himself on the couch when Cecil took it. The stripper sat next to him, immediately snuggling up to his side. “Are you always this snuggly?”

“Sometimes.” The scientist watched as he sipped at the water, blushing faintly as he recalled his fantasy from just this morning.

“Is something wrong, Carlos?”

“No, not at all. I was just thinking. It’s something scientists do often.”

“Oh...You know we’re here, we’re alone.” His voice was suggestive, and Carlos felt himself flush when he heard the way he was speaking. 

“I know. I’m not used to doing things like this. Honestly, I didn’t expect you to say yes. So I didn’t really plan ahead.” His voice cracked, body visibly trembling. Cecil clicked his tongue while setting the glass aside.

“Carlos. You’re so very innocent. It’s cute.” With that said, the man placed his hands on either side of Carlos’ jaw, thumbs stroking the skin lightly.

“I’m not innocent,” Carlos protested. His cheeks were hot, lips pouting.

“I’m afraid you’ll need to prove yourself, and I imagine this would be one way to start.” Cecil pressed his lips against Carlos’ own, soft and unyielding. Rather than pull away, the scientist pulled him closer, not wanting to let go of this moment, not ever. He couldn’t get enough of it, nipping at them gently. His hands slid back, tangling in that soft hair he had been imagining for the past few weeks. Then Cecil moaned, dark and rich, something Carlos would genuinely love to hear over and over. He was back in his lap, rutting against him.

Carlos pulled away. “Cecil, I can’t. Not tonight. We can go to the bedroom, maybe snuggle there?”

“I can honestly say this is the first time someone has brought me home just to cuddle. Yeah. Sure.” He backed off of him, letting the scientist up to lead him to the bedroom.

“I know, it’s weird. Is this okay? It’s not too odd?”

“No, it’s fine. Really, Carlos, it’s fine.” Carlos showed off his room, the light gray reflecting the soft light of the lamp. Stacks of books occupied the night stand, while a full bookcase took up a wall. The dark wood seemed to hold its own secrets, carved flowers standing out in relief. The scientist plopped back onto his bed, smiling as Cecil joined him and snuggled up to him. Flicking off the light, Carlos sighed happily. “Goodnight, Cecil.”

“Goodnight, Carlos.”


	4. Coffee Cups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlos and Cecil have a little fun before going on a coffee date.

Carlos woke up feeling rather cold. And alone. He jerked away from his pillow, noticing Cecil was no longer beside him. Had he left? The scientist didn’t think so, seeing as that would require the dancer to take his car, and the keys were still on the table. He could hear cooing coming from the living room. Cecil. Definitely Cecil. Groaning, he got out of bed and padded over to his bathroom to brush his teeth. The mint of the toothpaste helped him perk up a little bit.

The scientist slipped on his slippers and pulled on a shirt before making his way into the living room, where the majority of the noises were coming from. “Cecil, what are you doing?”

“Oh! Good morning! I couldn’t stay asleep this morning. You were mumbling about beakers in your sleep. Didn’t you know you talk in your sleep? Anyway, I decided to play with Raphael. He has this funny little beard with yellow markings and it’s so cute.”

“Er, he’s flaring. It means he’s defending his territory, and will try and fight you. He needs to be fed.”

“I can feed him!”

“Open the little door at the top of his tank. The Betta food is right next to the tank. Three pellets. He’ll beg for more, but don’t do it. Then it’s just more stuff I have to clean up.” Carlos watched as the fish continued to flare while Cecil fed him. Eventually the beard was put away, beneath his gill cover while he danced for more food.

“Oh, he’s just so cute!”

“Don’t feed him any more. He’ll get bloated,” the scientist warned, reaching to the dancer. The other man pouted and slunk into the offered hand. He nuzzled along Carlos’ neck, smiling.

“Is that really a bad thing?”

“Yes. Then he’ll get spoiled, and I think a ten gallon with live plants is enough spoiling for him.”

“I see. Oh. Um. I used your extra toothbrush, if that’s alright?”

“Oh. I didn’t think about that. No, yeah, it’s totally fine! Completely. Um. Did you want breakfast?”

“Yeah! Breakfast would be great.” Carlos lifted Cecil’s hand to press a kiss to his knuckles as the dancer giggled and blushed. Letting him go, the scientist stepped over to the kitchen, opening the oven to pull out a pan to scramble eggs in. He hoped the eggs hadn’t hatched while in the refrigerator. It happened various times throughout his stay in Night Vale. Cringing as he opened the door, Carlos was pleasantly surprised to see the eggs were normal. No chicks anywhere, none feeling heavier than a regular old egg. He felt arms wrap around his waist for a moment, pulling away after feeling unwelcome. “So, when did you get him?”

“Two years ago. Kept him in a bowl at first, but then I did some research into their environment. Realized I wasn’t doing the right thing by keeping him in a tiny bowl with little to no stimuli. I bought him the ten gallon tank shortly thereafter, a heater, filter. Fake plants at first, but then I planted it myself. He blossomed. A lot of my colleagues seemed to think it was a lot to spend on one fish, but he’s listened to me ramble about science. He’ll eat out of my hands. I don’t think it’s really spoiling him, it’s providing the best care I can. As you can tell, I’m rather fond of Mr. Grumpy Gills over there.”

“He certainly has a lot of spunk! It’s rather sweet you care so much about Raphael and what’s best for him. Now, as for breakfast, is there anything I can do to help?” Cecil asked, wholly prepared to start whisking the eggs and milk together.

“Wait. Important question: Do you want scrambled eggs or do you want French toast? I can make French toast.”

“French toast sounds good. Maybe scrambled eggs on the side. Do you have bacon or sausage?”

“Unfortunately, no. French toast it is!” Carlos poured some cinnamon into the mixture the dancer already began whisking together. He watched as Cecil pulled out the bag of gluten-free bread and start dipping it into the eggs. Non-stick pan coated with a thin layer of melted butter before Cecil dropped the slice onto the pan. “Do you always cook breakfast for the people you take home?”

“I don’t usually take people home, though the answer is yes.”

“Huh.” Carlos shrugged and lifted another pan from the oven to start making their scrambled eggs. He didn’t feel the need to explain himself. Within about ten minutes, there was a stack of bread waiting for them to devour.

“We need plates, and forks. Do you mind getting that over to the living room table? I’ll be there in a second.” The scientist opened his dishwasher to pluck out two dishes for them to use, as well as some silverware. Closing the dishwasher door and maneuvering to where the syrup sat was a whole adventure in and of itself. Eventually he made it to the living room table, remaining standing as he served Cecil and himself, wondering if he forgot anything.

“Do you have any coffee?”

“Damn. I knew I forgot something. I’ll get it started, you can feel free to eat.”

“No, no! Sit down, Carlos. We can have a cup after we’re finished eating,” Cecil said, tugging on the scientist’s pajama leg.

“Fine. I feel silly for forgetting coffee of all things.”

“It’s just coffee. Besides, there are plenty of other ways we can wake up.” The dancer chuckled as Carlos felt his skin flush.

They ate in relative silence, only the occasional clatter of forks and the soft ‘pop’ of the bubbler in Raphael’s aquarium filling the room. The scientist cleared the plates, chewing his lip in thought. He hadn’t a clue what to say. “How do you take your coffee?”

“Carlos, it’s alright. We could just stop at Starbucks later. Besides, you don’t have any coffee left. I found the can of grounds empty.”

“Oh. Damn. I knew I forgot something yesterday. Um. I need to shower. Do you need something to borrow for the day? Or I could just drop you off so you can get your car and stuff. C-c-coffee sounds good, though.”

“I don’t mind borrowing clothes, and coffee. I need to shower, too. Please tell me you have something other than Head and Shoulders in your bathroom.”

“I do. Herbal Essences? I think? It’s smells all fruity and it’s marketed at women, but I like it. The one where it’s, uh, for long hair? It works best for me. Um. It might be betterifweshoweredtogether,” Carlos muttered quickly, looking away. Keeping an aquarium in the desert was a rather expensive hobby, with all the weekly water changes and the bills got larger the closer to summer it got.

“I can do that.” Cecil smiled warmly, hoping to sooth Carlos’ worries.

“You sure? We sort of just met. And I took you home to cuddle with. Not sleep with.”

“Yes,  precisely why I don’t mind. You’ve proved to be a gentleman rather than someone who would attempt to hurt me. Don’t, for future reference. We learned to spar in the scouts, and I was at the top of my troop!” He took a fighting stance, pretending to jab at the scientist.

“Alright, good to know! I boxed as a kid, but I wasn’t really into it. Science was much more fun to me. As you can see. Let me get the shower started, then.” Carlos smiled faintly as he padded towards the bathroom, flipping the light switch. “Thank Tesla I cleaned the bathroom the other day,” he murmured to himself as he turned the knobs to a decent temperature. He preferred a scalding hot shower to wake him in the mornings, but he kept it at a more tolerable temperature for Cecil’s sake. A soft tapping on the door drew his attention. The dancer was standing there, waiting for Carlos to notice him.

“Is it hot?”

“It’s sort of hot. I prefer scalding, but we’re in there together and I didn’t want it to get too hot, you know?”

“Makes sense,” Cecil replied, already pulling off his oversized shirt. The scientist looked down. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Cecil, or had not already seen him practically naked (his costumes hardly left anything to the imagination, after all), but this was actually private. Hardly a shared space between them. Carlos pulled off his own shirt, and wiggled his hips to get his pajama pants off. Biting into his lip again, he looked up to find the dancer already naked, unbraiding his hair while humming softly. “Is something wrong, Carlos?”

“No, no! I was just thinking.”

“Reeeaally? It seems more like you’re staring. I don’t mind, but don’t lie about it next time.” The scientist made an undignified squeak as he slipped his boxers off and practically jumped into the shower. Water running over him made him feel much more secure than anything else. Taking a deep breathe, Carlos centered himself. Cecil would be in with him shortly, and it just wouldn’t do to be freaking out over even more mistakes. There were other things to worry about. There was a slight chill when the dancer slipped in next to him, gently bumping against his body unintentionally.

With a gentle tug, Cecil pulled the scientist from the water. He didn’t resist, just picked up the shampoo bottle, popping open the cap. “I’m sorry about what I said. You were staring, though.”

“I know. It suddenly hit me that you were actually naked in my apartment and I blanked out.”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment, rendering a man of science completely speechless.”

“Please do.” Carlos massaged the slick liquid into his hair, feeling the lather drip down his neck.

“You missed a spot. May I-?”

“Um. Sure.” Gentle hands ran through his hair, slight pressure against his scalp as he felt the shampoo massaged into his hair further. “Mmmm, that feels nice.”

“Would you mind doing this for me? I know, half of the bottle is probably going to disappear because of my hair, but you did offer a shower.”

“We have known each other maybe 72 hours and you’re already making yourself at home in my apartment? Yeah, I’ll do that for you. Let me turn around then.”

“You were the one who took me home. Besides, I have a good feeling about you, and my feelings are usually correct.”

“Oh?” Carlos turned, pouring a seemingly excessive amount of the shampoo into his palm. Cecil seemed to eye the puddle skeptically, but relaxed as the switched places again, the scientist rubbing the lather into the dancer’s hair. It took a few minutes longer than he expected, but the other man didn’t complain. “Ready to trade places again?”

“Yes.” Both were surprised they hadn’t managed to slip on anything. As soon as Cecil was finished rinsing his hair out, Carlos shut off the water. His actions were greeted by a raised brow, but nothing was said. He grabbed the bottle of conditioner, squeezing it to force the creamy mixture out of the opening. The dancer grabbed the bottle for himself as Carlos rubbed the product into his hair.

“Why did you shut the water off?”

“Because we’re both clean, we’re just conditioning our hair. I know I might come off as a cheap skate by wanting to save money, and it’s also a habit that I grew up with.”

“Oh. You could have just explained that.” The scientist shrugged and carefully slid down to sit inside the tub, gesturing for Cecil to join him. Instead of sitting opposite of Carlos, the dancer settled himself onto his lap. Brown eyes settled on gazing just to the left of Cecil’s body, but he could feel the man staring down at him.

“What?”

“You won’t look at me.”

“You are sitting on my lap.”

“And?”

Carlos looked up at those lovely lavender eyes. “I’m afraid my eyes will slip elsewhere.”

“I’m trying to seduce you. Let me.”

“I’ve been seduced since I saw you in the club.”

“Then why won’t you sleep with me? I’ve been tested, I’m clean. You don’t need to worry about that.”

“It’s not that, but since we’re talking about it, I’m clean as well. I’m just afraid I won’t be able to please you…”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure you’re a good lover. You just have to do what feels comfortable and right in the moment. Now, let me continue this process with bedroom eyes.” The scientist leaned forward to press his lips against Cecil’s, hands rubbing along the dancer’s hips, gripping them tightly. The dancer returned the kiss enthusiastically, teeth dragging along lips, biting down gently. Carlos was the first to pull away, panting.

“Cecil, please.”

“Please, what?~”

“Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.” Cecil’s lips were upon his, and oh, his tongue slipped in easily, tasting of sugar, and something darker, so alluring. He could feel the other man taking his time in exploring his own mouth, seeming to make observations. Carlos hated to admit it, but the thought was sexy, and he could feel himself grow hard. The kiss seemed to go on, and whatever Cecil tasted of, it was downright hot. The dancer slid further down, rocking against him. “Fuck. The lube is in the bedroom,” he muttered in between kisses.

“We don’t have to have penetration now. I want to hear you moan, is that so much to ask for?” Carlos blushed, unable to speak. How was one supposed to when there was a man promising you glorious pleasure just moments away, right on top of you?

“We could wash off and go to the bedroom…” he suggested, barely any strength to his words. He didn’t really want to get up. The scientist was more than content to keep Cecil on top of him, grinding against him like he was the night before. But the tub was way too small for any sort of shenanigans they were planning.

“That seems like the best option, yes. Let’s hurry up and rinse off, then. You can stand under the water while it heats up.” The dancer peeled himself off of the scientist, skin sticking to skin. “Up!” Carlos managed to stand without too much difficulty, and began turning the knobs to turn the water back on. It wasn’t as cool as he expected, and felt rather refreshing on his heated skin. His hands squeezed out the last of the conditioner, twisting the curled locks to remove excess moisture until he grabbed a towel. After a moment, he stepped out, letting Cecil have free reign over the shower while he used his usual styling products. “I’ll be in the bedroom.”

“Alright!~ See you in a minute.” The scientist stepped into his room only to immediately pull out drawers, looking for the bottle of lube. He knew he had two of them, one unopened. Checking the nightstand proved fruitful, the curved bottle a more than welcome sight to his eyes. Carlos flopped onto the bed, tapping a quick rhythm on the bedspread. A soft cough caught his attention as Cecil leaned against the doorframe of the steamy bathroom.

Something seemed to come over Cecil. Maybe it was the need to perform, or maybe it was how he did things, but he sauntered over, achingly slow as the scientist squirmed at the edge of the bed. And then the dancer’s hand was on his chest, pushing him back onto the mattress, making him move back to press his head against the pillows. Cecil kissed him, nothing sweet this time, just rough and full of teeth.  Oh god this was actually happening. He pulled away, and Carlos could feel his neck being marked, the pleasure of it all shooting straight to his cock. He let out a soft moan as the dancer kissed along his chest. “Mmm.”

“Let me take care of you.” The words were whispered against his navel, the warm air of Cecil’s breath painting his skin with gooseflesh. The scientist clawed the sheets beneath him, squirming beneath the dancer. This was better than any fantasy, it was real. Those lovely lips kissing the head of his erection, absolutely real, not a fantasy. Slow licks, taking his time. This was the sweetest torture ever devised. Carlos was absolutely sure Cecil was teasing him for the sake of watching him squirm, and squirm he did. Quiet whimpering as the man took his cock into his mouth. Cecil took him in slowly, bobbing his head along his shaft, which only made the scientist want to grab his hair instead of the sheets. Tentatively, he reached for the dancer’s head, not grabbing him, but settling his hands to feel the motion of his head. The moan he got in response was deliciously dark.

He could feel his teeth digging into his lips, but if anything, it made the feeling within him, the pleasure pooling inside all the greater. Cecil was sucking harder, working him over almost perfectly, and Carlos wondered if he could keep the dancer in bed with him all day. “Ce-Cecil!” He breathed a sigh of relief when that mouth pulled off of him.

“Yeeesss?”

“Could we-?” Carlos wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted, but he knew it involved both of them being satiated.

“Could we what?~”

“Just, I don’t know. Fuck. Everything. I want everything.”

“Tell me exactly what you want, and I’ll give it to you, Carlos.” For the moment, he stayed silent, thinking over the pros and cons of having Cecil fuck him, or him fucking Cecil. Both were equally good, and no doubt Cecil’s voice moaning his name even better. Both paths lead to that particular conclusion. Carlos hadn’t slept with anyone in years, and he had to take it into account.

“Um. Could I...maybe...fuck you?” He felt embarrassed for even asking instead of taking charge, but it was about his own comfort zone, right now.

“Of course! Do you have any condoms? I realize I got ahead of myself earlier, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

“In the dresser. I should have brought it out with the lube.” Carlos blushed as he watched Cecil pull off of him, brown sugar skin glowing in the sunlight. The box of condoms located, the dancer pulled out three.

“Do you mind?”

“Not at all. I know they break sometimes. Better to be safe than sorry, right?” The scientist watched as the other tore the top of the foil wrapper, carefully extracting the thin latex. He was being methodical about rolling it onto him. Carlos half expected him to roll it onto him with those lovely lips, but this was safer. There was nothing sexy about choking when it was completely avoidable. And not intentionally done. He picked up the bottle of lube, turning it over in his hand as Cecil returned to kiss him hard. The dancer’s body felt warmer than his own, but it was hardly unusual considering- wait. Was he really thinking about the biology when he was just about to get laid? Carlos groaned, and he could feel Cecil pull away, confused.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, I’m just being a moron.” Smiling faintly, he shifted, leaning forward to press the dancer flat against the bed. He nibbled along his neck, careful not to mark him too much. Carlos rolled his hips against Cecil’s, reveling in the soft gasps he would be rewarded with every few moments. Really, those sounds were addicting, making him want to push farther, but it would have to wait. Comfort was the most important part of this, and he still needed to open him up. The scientist sat back, flipping open the cap on the bottle of lube, pouring the slick liquid onto his fingers.  Carlos was careful about pressing the digit into Cecil, working him open slowly. “Is this okay, Cecil?”

“Mhmm~. You worry too m-m-much!”

“Good,” he murmured, adding more lube and another digit, scissoring his fingers slowly. They had all day, so why rush things? When there was nothing stopping them especially. Finally satisfied with the dancer’s reactions, he pulled out of him, reveling in the whine he was offered in return. Carlos poured more of the liquid onto his cock, and then he was gently working himself into Cecil. The pleasant moan slipping from the dancer’s lips was lovely, rich and full. Short thrusts gradually helped his way in, the warmth and tightness of the stripper definitely more than welcoming. The scientist nibbled along Cecil’s jaw. This wasn’t about a sprint to the finish, but a drawn out affair. Carlos’ thrusts were slow, lazy. He moved to claim Cecil’s lips, pleased at the soft moans. The dancer’s hands gripped his back, leaving a trail of red on his skin. Cecil’s legs were hitched on Carlos’ hips, keeping him in place.

Carlos pushed a bit harder, wanting to hear more. There was nothing sweeter than hearing Cecil moan his name. The scientist pulled out and off of him, settling on a change in positions. “Do you mind..?” He didn’t get verbal answer, only watching as the dancer pushed him back and straddled him. Cecil was careful about sliding onto him again, sinking down inch by inch. “D-damn,” Carlos huffed. Once the dancer made himself comfortable, he rolled his hips,  causing the man beneath him to be mesmerized by the subtle movements. The scientist moved a hand to the performer's hip, the other wrapping around Cecil's dick, sliding along the shaft. "Cecil, I'm -!" Carlos let out a particularly loud moan as he came. He could feel himself being squeezed, and he winced once it was over; feeling rather over sensitive. Cecil carefully slid off of him, not wanting to cause the scientist any pain. He removed the condom quickly, leaning to the side of the bed to toss it out.

Carlos reached out to him, pulling the dancer closer. He ducked down to lap at his cock, sucking on the head. Cecil's hands tugged on his hair as he bobbed along the shaft. Sliding further down, the scientist remained in place and sucked hard, hoping it would be enough to get the stripper off. He wasn’t disappointed. Cecil arching back, tightening the grip in his hair, and that cry was just lovely. Hell, Carlos didn’t even mind the salty taste as the dancer’s semen spread along his palate. He pulled off slowly, swallowing what was left in his mouth with a blush. “I’m so sorry. I couldn’t...Sorry.”

“Carlos. You really need to learn to enjoy the moment. It’s okay. I honestly wasn’t expecting you to even go this far, and I’m happy you did. That being said,” Cecil gave him a wink, “you will probably have to take a few lessons from me.~”

“Cecil! No need to be so suggestive!” Carlos flushed scarlet. This wasn’t exactly what he was going for. “Now, what about coffee? I’m feeling a bit lazy.”

“Mm, coffee can wait. I’m not letting you leave this bed for another few hours, at least. I don’t have work tonight. You have work tomorrow?”

“I do, but I don’t have to come in until noon. What about your clothes?”

“Would you mind terribly if I borrowed some clothes? And perhaps try on that labcoat of yours?~”

“No, no, not at all. Just go through the drawers. Um. You could. If you wanted, but make sure it gets back on its hook. That one...it’s really special to me.”

“Okay then! We should clean up, though. Later. Not now.” Cecil  pulled Carlos up to snuggle against his chest. “Right now we should relax. And maybe go round two.” The grin on his lips more than suggested another round.

“I can’t find anything to disagree with. Though,” he paused, running a hand through the dancer’s hair, “ I would like to braid your hair.”

“I’ll think about it.” Carlos could feel Cecil drawing lazy patterns on his chest. For now, he was content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this took a very long time to update, but I did have school start, and then the sex, and it took me ages to write. Like, a ridiculous amount of time. Hopefully I can get back into the swing of things.


	5. Tips and Coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlos and Cecil get to know each other a little better, and Carlos feels slightly guilty about leaving Night Vale in a couple of months.

Their coffee date seemed only to be minutes long, as Cecil was genuinely interested in Carlos’ work, and it let him ramble on and on about his science. Neither of them wanted to leave, but it was getting late. The baristas were watching them like hawks, and it was sort of uncomfortable trying to get to know someone when a bird of prey was staring you down like you were their next meal. Cecil was the one to lean back from their intimate conversation, rolling his shoulders. The flannel was slightly too large, but it looked rather nice on him. “I really should get going. This was fun, really, a lot of fun, but I need to get my car.”

“Oh, god! Yeah. Um. Let’s go then? You go on ahead, let me just tip these guys and we can be on our way.” Carlos scooted out of the booth, pulling out a few bills from his pocket, chanting softly as he set them aflame. Night Vale was odd in many ways, and the tipping system seemed really strange, but the money always made it into the tip jar. He jogged out to his car, where Cecil waited for him. “Alright, Cecil, to the club to get your car, and maybe another date later this week?”

“Yes. Are you going to come to my performance with Kevin on Friday?”  
“Kevin is...Strex Kitten? If you want me to. I was planning on coming to see you anyway. That sounds really creepy now that I think about it. I mean it in a totally non-creeper way.”

“Shhh, Carlos, I know what you meant.”

“Alright.” Carlos started the car, and pulled out of the parking lot. They drove in relative silence, the scientist chewing his lip. He was growing rather fond of the other man, but he couldn’t exactly say so, not quite yet. When they pulled up to the club, he almost felt sorry for himself. Cecil was still in his clothes, and the ones he had worn to Carlos’ were in the wash with the rest of his things. “So, um, did you want me to drop your clothes off..?”

“I can pick them up later today, if you want. I know it’s not exactly customary to leave clothes at a date’s house, but I didn’t want to wear them again. I’ll be sure to get these back to you!”

“No, no, its fine, it’s fine! You can return them after our date. Is Wednesday alright?”

“Sounds fine to me.” Cecil seemed reluctant to leave the car, offering a small, shy smile at the scientist. Carlos could feel his heart melt, not literally, as could happen in Night Vale. He leaned over first, pressing a soft kiss to the Cecil’s lips, not wanting to pull away. They stayed in place for a few moments, pulling away at the same time.

“See you later, Carlos~,” he purred as he stepped out of the car. Carlos smiled, and rolled his eyes. He wondered if they were going backwards, sleeping with each other first and then dating, but there didn’t seem much wrong with the idea. Besides, he would have to leave in a few months. The thought made his stomach flip. Although Night Vale was odd, it was certainly more welcoming than most other towns he lived in, and he didn’t want to leave. Ignoring all the death and the horror, it was, at this point, home. Carlos sat in the parking lot for another fifteen minutes, long after Cecil pulled out of the lot and before the wind whipped sand around his car.

__________________________

He was looking over his notes with a “not-pen”, standard issued from the City Council. The tip of the plastic case tapped against his lips as he thoughtfully tried to apply average results to current experiments in Night Vale. The town was an outlier, of course. Not that it was a surprise. Here was an entire body of evidence sitting there, and all of it said Night Vale was not a good experiment whatsoever. He would have to change various variables and try to keep others completely set. Carlos sighed, tipping his head back against the couch. He could hear footsteps coming up the stairs. How long had he been looking over notes? Surely not for more than a few hours. Or, not. Time didn’t work quite right. According to his timepiece, it had been three hours, but the clock on the microwave said it had been nearly five. The discrepancy always made him uncomfortable. Carlos looked at the door, waiting for the inevitable knocking. And once it came, he stood from the couch to let the person in. He was fairly sure it was Cecil, and proved correct once the door was opened. Though, Cecil was wearing a dress, much to his personal delight. “Hey! Come in, let me just get your stuff.” Carlos moved towards his bedroom, when Cecil reached for his hand.

“Would you mind if I stayed the night again? Some hooded figures decided mine has the best reach for a certain spell.”  
Carlos blinked. “Um. Sure? Oh.” He noticed the bag of what was likely clothing. “Let me put new sheets on the bed, and um, let me get this.” He grabbed the bag, carrying it to the bedroom while Cecil followed behind him.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this? I could just stay with Kevin, it’s not a big deal!”

“Actually, the prospect of sleeping alone tonight was a little daunting, if I can be completely honest,” Carlos admitted, not looking at the other man. There was no way it should be allowed, him getting so attached to another person.

“Oh. Well then. Did you want me to start dinner, or…?”

Carlos didn’t answer, reaching for his hand to pull him onto the bed with him. He pressed a kiss to Cecil’s lips, laying back onto the mattress. “Dinner can wait,” the scientist mumbled. Carlos could feel hands gripping at his hair, oh god, soft velvet tongue slipping into his mouth. Dinner could wait. It’s not as if they were hurting for food. He was torn between tugging on Cecil’s lovely locks and settling his hands on his hips. Two extremely appealing choices, indeed. His hands slipped down to his hips, deciding having one set of hands in hair was plenty enough. Cecil seemed intent on memorizing his mouth, or it felt that way. It was Carlos who pulled away, gasping for breath, while Cecil appeared unfazed, eyes dark with intent and his lips a bit swollen from the rough kisses. “Something wrong?”   
“No, just needed some air. Christ. You’re an amazing kisser.” Cecil smirked, hovering over him.

“Compliments sound beautiful spilling from your lips.”

“Really? They sound so much lovelier on yours.” Carlos smiled, blushing faintly at how smooth those words sounded.  He noticed the dancer seemed pleased at them. After a minute or two of catching his breath, Cecil began to grind against him, torturing him slowly. The fabric of his dress pooled around them, and god, all Carlos wanted to do was rip it off of him, or get him off, flustered and whining while the cream of the dress was marred. He began to huff, pulling Cecil down for another kiss, forcing his hips down against his own. A faint thought of food lingered in the back of his mind, but food could wait. Undressing himself couldn't. Carlos reluctantly pulled away to pull off his shirt.

Cecil's eyes were on him. He felt them as he gently shifted the dancer off. The scientist rolled off the bed, shimmying out of his jeans and boxers, while Cecil began unzipping the back of his dress. “Don't. Keep it on,” Carlos murmured as he shuffled back into bed.

“But then I'll – You know what? If you really want me to keep it on, I suppose I could ask a favor at work.”

“I didn't mean to sound rude about it. Ack. Yeah. Sorry. Sorry!” Carlos chewed into his lip, looking away.

“Shh, sweet Carlos. Zip up the back for me.” He did as he was told, and Cecil settled himself back onto his lap. Carlos could feel the dancer's hands running through his hair, tugging on the strands. He let out a soft moan, waiting for more.  “Kind of you to let me stay.”

“I couldn't say no. I couldn't let you wait for your double or twin, whatever Kevin is, to get you.”

“He's my double. You have one, too, you know. We all do.” Cecil began to grind against the scientist, and he felt himself growing warm and flustered.

“Do I? I expect he probably does science as well.”

“Kevin likes him, but that doesn't matter right now, does it?” Carlos shook his head, rocking up against him. He wanted to moan as loud as he possibly was able, but the walls were thin, and today's earlier activities garnered various bangs on his walls.

“Cecil, please!” He pleaded.

“Please? I could dance for you, work you up until you're on the very edge and make you wait and watch as I get myself off. Wouldn't you enjoy that, hmm?~”

“Y-y-yes!” He knew he was overeager, but it was difficult to care when Cecil was so willing to perform for him. Though, right now, he preferred to keep him right where he was, grinding against him, getting him hard. “Or stay right here. Th-th-though I wouldn't m-m-mind watching you...” Carlos trailed off, slipping a hand beneath the skirt of the dress. Was he wearing...panties? Panties edged with lace. Nice call. Carlos rubbed at Cecil's groin, pressing down in variation, hard and then gentle, enjoying the deep groans accompanying them. He pulled the stripper's cock from its confines, stroking the shaft. Hearing Cecil's gasps and moans made him want to work harder to please the man straddling along his hips. Gods, Cecil was just absolutely perfect. The way he would arch into Carlos’ touch, the way he would slide over his name, throaty and full. There was absolutely no end to it, not that Carlos wanted it to end.

Carefully, he slid Cecil off of him, ignoring the protests of the action. He slid up the skirt of the dress, kissing along Cecil’s thighs. He could stay like this forever, though eventually dinner would have to be cooked, and the man beneath him would have to go home. Not today, thankfully not today. Carlos nuzzled at his hip, looking up at Cecil. The dancer watched him, expectant. Carlos desperately wanted to watch Cecil get himself off, but he wasn’t sure if he could handle it. He was easy to embarrass, and even his request made him feel off. It’s not like they were months into a relationship, this was only a couple of days. And he was supposed to leave Night Vale in a couple of months, for good. Unless he had a reason to stay. A young relationship wasn’t necessarily a good reason. Fighting and break ups happened all the time. Carlos shook his head gently, clearing those aggravating thoughts away. “Carlos..?” Cecil ventured.

“I’m fine.” He was lying, of course, but burdening Cecil with anything would prove to be rather fruitless. Instead of explaining himself, he lapped at the shaft of Cecil’s erection, focusing on the sharp intake of breath, and mewls slipping from those lips. Slipping the head of his cock into his mouth, Carlos relished the soft fabric pooled around them on the bed, and just how distinctly different it was compared to the person wearing it. He sucked, bobbing his head to pull more of Cecil’s dick into his mouth. Carlos could feel Cecil’s hands gripping at his hair, yanking on the thick curls. He let it slide for now, preferring to keep him as interested as possible. Carlos hollowed out his cheeks, hoping to push Cecil right over the edge. He knew Cecil was close, but he needed to do something more. He began fondling Cecil’s balls, rolling them in his hand. That, it seemed, was enough as Cecil tugged on his hair, crying out as he ejaculated over Carlos’ tongue. He swallowed what he could, carefully pulling off with a lewd ‘pop’. Carlos could get used to this, seeing Cecil sweaty and satiated.

“Did you want me to..?”

“I’ll take care of it later. It’s not a big deal.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” He pulled Cecil into his arms, and nuzzled into his hair. Carlos didn’t feel like getting up to cook, or feed Raphael. The fish could wait, he needed a fasting day. He and Cecil could wait a little longer. Cuddling up seemed more important, he thought as he played with the locks of Cecil’s hair. “Cecil, why did you become an exotic dancer in the first place?”  
“It’s a long story.” He could feel Cecil stiffen up in his arms. “Besides, there’s no changing the past. I know I’m supposed to be the next Voice of Night Vale. I interned at the station, and I managed to survive, but it just…how do I put this? It wasn’t as appealing to me as I thought it would be. Plus, rebelling against prophecy seemed fun at the time. I know I’ll eventually have to quit dancing and become the broadcaster at Night Vale Community Radio, but this is enough for me, now. Why did you become a scientist?”

He considered the question. “I guess because I wanted something different. Mama and Papa wanted me to be a doctor, but I didn’t want that for myself. My siblings all have their own careers, and I loved science since the day I accidentally burned a piece of paper. I wanted to know how everything worked. Not necessarily everything, but you know. I fell in love with it. And anyway, it’s not like my parents want to see me. This was the perfect career.”

“Oh, Carlos, I’m so sorry. You’re a wonderful young man, and your parents were ridiculous to give up on you!”  
“It’s not a problem. Really, it’s not. I’m fine.” Carlos smiled, attempting to prove his point while Cecil gazed on, skeptical. “Anyway, um, what did you want for dinner? I can make some rice? With eggs, maybe? Or a slice of Big Rico’s if you’re not willing to wait.”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” Cecil seemed content to remain settled in Carlos’ arms, which was good enough for him. There was plenty of time to go get food. Time never really worked in Night Vale anyway.


	6. Words are not Distance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlos leaves town, and tries not to worry too much about leaving Cecil in Night Vale.

“Cecil, you really shouldn’t be feeding Raphael that much. He’s getting a little too chubby and complacent.” Carlos scolded.

“Oh, but he begs! And it’s so cute when he does. Besides, it’s not like Darwin isn’t just as cute when he dances for me.”

“I bought Darwin on the condition you would take care of him the same way we do Raphael.” Cecil stood from his crouched position, offering a brilliant smile to the scientist. Three months into their relationship, and there were boxes taking up part of the space of the living room. Carlos tried to ignore the upcoming date, the imminent talk of him leaving Night Vale, and likely for good. He didn’t want to leave. He planned on being the impartial scientist, the one who studied without bias. Yet, here he was: in a relationship with someone who lived here, and wanting to stay. Carlos knew he couldn’t, that there was a cushy teaching position at his alma mater. A stable job. Not that science in Night Vale wasn’t stable, but there was more in this world he wanted, and staying in one place wouldn’t actually, well, help. Deep down, he knew if he had the choice, he would stay. For all the things he could have, the people he met, the Angels and avoiding the Dog Park. He would willingly give up the outside world for the odd and eccentric town.

“Do…do you really have to leave?” Cecil’s voice was quiet. He never asked him before this, making Carlos wince. Their relationship was young. If he stayed, he could kiss that position goodbye. But was it really what he wanted? It wasn’t. He wanted to keep working on science, all the science he could, here in Night Vale, the beautiful outlier. Carlos coughed, looking away from his boyfriend.

“You know I have to. Cecil, if I had known I would have fallen in love when coming here, I wouldn’t have taken the position at the university.” It was the truth. And it was as close as Carlos would admit towards saying he loved Cecil. He wanted to test it out for a couple of weeks, maybe. Carlos chewed his lip.

Cecil’s eyes were on him. He wondered if Cecil would say anything, or just drop the subject. A minute. Two. Nothing. Hands were on his shoulders, sliding up to cup his face. Gentle pressure making him look up into those lovely lavender eyes. They were natural, as far as Carlos was aware. Eyes filled with concern, worry, and sadness. “Oh Carlos.” Cecil’s lips were upon his own shortly after, very soft. Oh god. Carlos kissed him back over and over, wrapping his arms around the other man, pulling him close. He wanted to stay like this, to keep Cecil close, keep him forever. Soft, gentle. Nipping his lip, god. This was absolute torture of the worst sort. He couldn’t keep Cecil. As much as he wanted to take Cecil with him, Carlos knew better. Scientifically speaking, and just common sense in general. They made it to the couch, and he straddled Cecil. His hands twisted into those long locks, slipping his tongue into that welcoming mouth. Carlos took his time, relishing the moments like this.

There wouldn’t be many after this one.

Cleaning up after sex was a quiet affair. Cecil always seemed to hum songs he personally didn’t know, though the occasion one he had showed Cecil would slip through. This song was one he played for Cecil after one of their dates, as he taught him to dance the way he did at home. Carlos had been careful not to step on his toes while he sang along, voice arcing along the notes. “Carlos?”

“Yes?”

“…” Cecil didn’t need to say anything.

* * *

 

The day he left always stuck in his mind. Cecil was teary-eyed, asking for a phone call every night. Even Kevin showed up to say goodbye, and with his tight hug came a warning. “Hurt him, and I’ll come after you. Understand? Have a pleasant trip, Carlos!” The last words came out loud enough for Cecil to hear, and Carlos took the first part to heart. He didn’t want to hurt Cecil, but leaving inevitably led to him getting hurt.

“I’ll call you tonight, Cecil. Promise. Though, time doesn’t seem to work here in Night Vale, so don’t be discouraged if I don’t seem to call. Emails don’t seem to get through at all, but I’ll try.” He pulled Cecil close, pressing a kiss to his lips. “I love you.” He had to admit, it was poor timing to say it, but felt it was better late than never.

“I love you, too, Carlos! Talk to you soon. Be safe.” Cecil smiled, reluctantly releasing himself from Carlos’ grip. Carlos felt his heart drop as he settled into his car. He didn’t want to leave, but he promised himself he would try the cushy teaching position, at least for a little while. And if it didn’t work out, it didn’t work out. Simple as that, and he could lobby to come back to Night Vale. They wouldn’t turn him down. At least, he didn’t think so.

 

* * *

 

Home was cold. Raphael and Darwin remained in Cecil’s care, so no grumpy faces to take care of, or make silly faces at. There was no Faceless Old Woman to keep him company. Carlos dialed Cecil’s number, breathing out a sigh of relief when the other man answered.

“Hello? Cecil? I’m calling for personal reasons.”

“Carlos! It’s been two days, are you alright?”

“Er. It’s still the day I left? I know time doesn’t work in Night Vale, or is really, technically real, but I can assure you, it hasn’t been two days where I am. I miss you already. How are the kids?”

“I’m glad you’re alright. Darwin has learned to swim through hoops for me, Raphael looks like he is looking for you. I’m not sure though, adding human emotions to animals is a very dangerous thing to do. They’re doing fine.”

“How’s Night Vale?”

“Well, Old Woman Josie called to invite me over last night, and her Angels, who don’t exist, cooked dinner. It was a lovely time! Work has been a little crazy. There’s a scientist who looks just like you, but he’s more interested in Kevin. Says he works for StrexCorp. I wonder if he’s just trying to impress Kevin is all...”- Cecil continued to ramble on, and it was soothing. Not the same as having Cecil next to him, but close enough.

“Hey, Cecil?”

“Yes, Carlos?”

“I’m going to bed pretty soon. Do…do you mind talking to me to get me to sleep? I miss you.” Carlos settled in his sleeping bag, placing the call on speakerphone.

“Not at all. Are you in bed, imperfect Carlos?”  
“Yes. I start work tomorrow. Hopefully it’s nothing too horrible. Students can be unpredictable.”  
“I’m sure it’ll all be okay. You’re smart. Intelligent. Perfectly imperfect, Carlos. You’ll do just fine, I’m sure. I love you.”

Carlos yawned. “I love you, too. Goodnight, Cecil.”

“Goodnight, Carlos. Goodnight.”

 

* * *

 

Carlos fell into a routine. Wake up alone, make himself a cup of coffee, take a shower, and head out to his office. He graded papers, talked to his students when they came in for help. Then he taught two classes, back to his office and then out to the lab to work. Around 6 PM, he would call Cecil for the latest updates. Routine was easy, and it lessened his anxiety about being away from his boyfriend. He still missed him, and wanted to see him. Video calls helped, but it wasn’t the same (though he personally wouldn’t complain about Cecil showing him his new dance routines). He thought the homesick feeling would fade after a week or two, but it was still there after a month. The weather was nice, he was able to talk about it, but none of it was Night Vale. Carlos sent a proposal to allow him to continue his work in Night Vale. He hoped they would reply promptly. Until then, he threw himself into his work.

 “Carlos,

This is not an official e-mail, of course. The board has looked over your proposal, and they’re not happy about you wanting to go back. You are an invaluable member of our team, and you know Night Vale has a high death rate. However, if that is what will make you happy, I’ll try to do what I can to persuade them not to reject your proposal. I know you miss your partner, too. And if this is about him, why not bring him here?

 

Daniel”

 

“Daniel,

I have offered many times over the course of the last month to bring him here. However, he’s more than content to stay in Night Vale, and I would like to join him there. It’s so scientifically intriguing. I enjoyed my work there. I’m not as happy as I thought I would be teaching here. Not to say I don’t love it here, but people change. Experiences change people, we are all malleable and always learning. You know?

 

Carlos”

 

“Cecil. I may be able to come back to Night Vale!”

“Really?! That’s fantastic news! I miss you so much. Raphael and Darwin definitely miss you.”

“I go to see the board tomorrow. We shouldn’t get our hopes up, though. They may counter-offer for me to finish teaching for this semester, or let me go entirely.”

“Oh...”

“Just. Pray to the gods, I guess. I prepared as much as I could to actually put this proposal together. I’ll call you tomorrow with the news!”

“Alright. I can’t wait to hear from you. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Carlos was nervous. The last time he went before the board, he was sent to Night Vale, and now he was asking to go back. He wouldn’t be surprised if they told him no, but he hoped they might have a heart to tell him yes. Just this once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a long time to get out, I know. I've been working on an AU, and had some personal troubles as well, leading me to deal with some stuff. I have two papers due pretty soon, but I'll be working on finishing this story quite soon.


	7. Time Moves On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlos attempts to convince the board to let him go back to Night Vale for research purposes. They're not entirely willing to let him go back.

Carlos fell back onto his bed. It had been a long day of teaching, and talking to the board. They didn’t want him to leave, which made sense, of course, but he wasn’t happy. He did his best to convey it respectfully, but there was no guarantee they took it as such. Carlos knew he had to call Cecil, and tell him the news, but he was tired. Plus, the ringing was always just slightly distorted when he called. “Hey, Cecil?”

“Hello, Carlos! How did everything go?” Cecil sounded eager for any news.

“…Um.”

“Oh. Oh, no. You can’t come back, can you? I mean, you can come visit during holidays, and it’s not exactly ideal, but it’s better than nothing! Of course, unless you aren’t okay with that. I mean…I’ll let you talk, I’m just rambling on and on.”

“Cecil. I’m coming back this weekend. They told me yes.”

“Carlos! This is the most exciting news! Kevin will be so happy to hear that you’re coming back. I have some news of my own! I started working at the radio station. I mean, it’s just a small show, I’m still dancing at King’s Ransom, but the station benefits are pretty great. I thought maybe it was time to settle down. I still enjoy dancing. Especially for you.”

Carlos laughed, smiling wide at Cecil’s words. “I’m glad to hear it. I miss you. I miss you so much. I can’t wait to see you again.”

“I miss you, too, Carlos. I can’t wait to see you. I have to go, Station Management is growling at me. I love you, Carlos. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

“I love you, too, Cecil. Bye.” Carlos smiled as he hung up the phone, the gloomy room no longer seeming so dark. Just a few days more until they had to could be together. And it would be so lovely to see him again. “I need to get him a present,” he murmured as he drifted off.

* * *

 

It was hot. Hotter than he remembered, but it was home. Cecil was home. As he stepped up to the door of his old apartment, he could hear Cecil singing along to one of the many songs he would dance to at the club. ‘Tap, taptap’. The singing stopped immediately, and heavy footfalls could be heard as they stepped closer to the door. Carlos could feel his heart beating faster, worrying. And then the door was open, Cecil’s eyes bright and happy as he launched himself onto Carlos. “Welcome home, Carlos.”

“Thanks, Cecil.” He smiled, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. Cecil led him into the apartment, making sure to point out all the changes he had made.

“So, I moved the couch here, and then Raphael and Darwin have a better view of outside. I know you said not to keep them near the windows because of the temperature fluctuations, but it never gets below 65 degrees here. As soon as it gets cooler, I’ll move them back to the wall. The Faceless Old Woman seemed to be rather content while you were gone.”

“Hey, you two. Well, she’s just going to have to get used to my return to existence, because I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying, for research, for science, and the betterment of mankind. Hopefully.” Carlos looked back at Cecil, grinning. Then he turned to wiggle his fingers at the two fish, chuckling as they flared at him. “Cecil. They’re too chubby. Have you gotten them to exercise?”  
“Of course! They flare at the mirror at least once a day and even chase their tank mates!”

“Tank mates?”

“Oh, you know. The shrimp! I put some in Raphael’s tank, too. They’ve been doing well. Occasionally he eats one…or two.”

“That explains why he’s a little fat. Okay. I guess we can figure that out later. For now,” Carlos stood and wrapped his arms around Cecil’s waist, pulling him in for a kiss, “We could go ahead and get re-acquainted with eating dinner together. I am starving!”

Cecil laughed, pulling away to tug Carlos over to the kitchen. “Well, I knew you were coming home today, so. Rice and eggs, just the way you like, with spinach in the omelet, and a serving of salad on the side.”

“You are amazing. Perfect. Just perfect.” He took a small bite of the rice, still steaming hot, and cooked to Carlos’ liking. He let out a moan of pleasure, pressing a kiss to Cecil’s lips. “Perfect. I’m going to put my stuff back in the bedroom, alright?” The dancer nodded, waving him off.

“Go save the world. Oh, and be wary of the, um, well. The rod with my outfits. Kevin decided to take my closet space at work, and I had nowhere else to put it.”

“Oh. Okay! I won’t disturb your clothes, I promise.” Carlos chuckled and pulled on his luggage, rolling it back to their room. It was more colorful than he remembered, bright reds, vivid purples thrown out in bright relief. Somehow, it was Cecil. He set his suitcase against the wall, and then went over to the bed, picking up Cecil’s pillow. He smiled, fluffing it up, returning it to its place. And then suddenly, Carlos felt tired. From driving, and the planes, and really, everything. “Hey, Cecil? I’m going to shower!” He called back into the living area before making his way into the bathroom. It remained the same though he had been gone for a few months. Tugging off his shirt, and shimmying out of his pants felt more comfortable here than the mostly empty apartment near the college.

The scientist turned the knobs, chanting under his breath while the water heated up. The constant drone from his chanting made this feel more real, especially when he stepped into the steaming shower. Water streamed down his body, warm and toasty, comforting. Carlos reached for his shampoo, pouring it into his hand to lather his hair. Bubbles and foam slid down his body.

Gently, he massaged the shampoo into his hair, rubbing his scalp with the tips of his fingers. Cecil used to slip in with him, and do this exact same thing. He couldn’t now, of course, there was food on the stove. Content to shower alone, he rinsed his hair out and began the long process of conditioning and treating his hair.

* * *

 

“Hey, Cecil. Sorry about the wait. I just really needed to get cleaned up.”

“Don’t worry about it. Dinner is on the table. How was your shower?”

“It was nice. Not as nice as having you washing my hair but close enough.”

Cecil smiled, patting the empty spot next to him. “Well, soon. Hopefully.” Carlos settled down on the floor next to him, immediately digging into his food. It tasted like home, of warmth and love. Everything he missed for the last few months. They ate in relative silence, Carlos quieter than Cecil was. Once they were both finished, he leaned back against the couch, smiling.

“That was wonderful, Cecil. So, how have things at the club been? And the radio station job..?”

“The club is under new management. It’s still okay so far, and the station has been nice, I guess. Station Management is very…specific about how they want me to be on air. It’s a bit difficult, but I enjoy it. Not as much as dancing, though.”

“Ah. Do you mind if I go watch you at the club tonight..?”

“Not at all, but the entrance fee went up. And I don’t want you to get jealous by me dancing for other men or women, or those who exist outside any binary. It’s my job. You are my love. My boyfriend, and you matter very much to me. You know?”

Carlos nodded. “I know. It never bothered me because it’s your job. Although I worried a lot while I was gone, I trust you. I have to, you know? You’re not going to cheat on me just because I’m gone, and I wouldn’t do that to you, either. I mean it. I love you. And that means trusting you regardless of profession or people being assholes. I know it happens. I worry about it happening to you, but honestly? You grew up in a town where you had to be really good at surviving to live through the Scouts. I know you would be just fine. The other guy? Not so much. I trust you.”

“Okay. I just wanted to make sure that you understood, because we didn’t really, you know, talk about it. We just sort of fell into this relationship, and I’m completely happy with that! I’m not disappointed, or sad, it’s just, we never discussed this. I wanted to bring it up before you left, but we were arguing, and then making love, and that was fantastic! But I wanted to make sure you were okay. Not everyone was so kind about it, you know?”

“Yeah, I understand. So, do you want me to help you get ready?”

Cecil smiled, leaning over to set his head on Carlos’ shoulder. “Please. Help me shimmy into my outfits at work. I showered before you got home, and I made sure to smell extra nice.” He massaged his knee. “Just for you. And then I can give you a private show.”

“Alright. Should we leave now, or..?”

“Now is good. Let me grab a few things, and I’ll be right back,” Cecil answered, pecking Carlos’ cheek. The scientist smiled, thinking about the other times he had visited Cecil at work. While watching him walk into the back rooms with anyone other than himself was frustrating, Cecil wasn’t having it. He refused to take Carlos’ money for lap dances at all anymore, not since they started officially dating and living together. Which, Carlos guessed, he understood. There was something less proud about taking your boyfriend’s money for something he would get at home for free.

He wouldn’t say no to helping Cecil with bills, considering they were living together, but the man insisted on paying them himself. Everything was split right down the middle. Rent, utilities, community sacrifices. All split evenly between them. And he was alright with the arrangement. “I’m ready!” Cecil called, hurrying to the door.

Carlos stood up and grabbed the car keys. “We’re taking my car.”

“Alright. No problem. Um, I’ll have to call Management and let them know that you’re helping me backstage, but you’re going to pay.” And with that, Cecil hit his speed dial. Carlos noted they were third on his dial, making him wonder where he fell on the list. He was locking the apartment door from the outside when Cecil finally got off the phone. “They said it was alright since you were such a good customer, but no lap dances from me for the night. I can fix that when we get home, though,~” he flirted.

With a smile, Carlos pressed a kiss to his lips just before they made their way to his car. The club wasn’t too far from their apartment, and the ten minute drive didn’t seem to take very long. He noted the lot was empty, except for a few cars. Carlos easily recognized Kevin’s car, as he had helped Cecil move into their apartment. “Kevin…Kevin isn’t going to kill me, is he?”

“Of course not! Silly Carlos! He likes you. Kevin’s just protective of everyone at the club.”

“I understand why, but I’d like to think he wouldn’t rip me to shreds after coming back, you know?”

“He won’t.” Over the course of their conversation, they made it to the employee entrance, where Cecil hit the access codes and offered his finger for a small prick. When he saw Carlos wince, he shrugged. “Security reasons.”

Carlos had never been backstage, sticking to being near the bar, or back of the room until he would flag Cecil down. Seeing the area where everyone was in the various stages of getting ready for the night was odd.

“Cecil!” Kevin’s voice floated over, saccharine to the ears. “Oh. Hello, Carlos.” It was obvious he wasn’t as pleased to see the scientist as he was his coworker. “So, how are things at the radio station? Surely they’re going to hire you on, especially with that voice of yours!”

“They’re going well! I’m hoping to be hired on really soon, I’m looking forward to it! I’ll be right back, I actually need to ask about how everything is going at the station.” Cecil excused himself, leaving Carlos and Kevin to talk.

“You came back.”

“I did. I missed it here, and I wanted to work on science here. Teaching just isn’t my thing? And I missed him. I missed him a lot.”

Kevin raised a brow. “So you thought you would come back, thinking he would just welcome you with open arms? How much of an idiotic smart person are you?”

“He did welcome me back. It’s not any of your business. I know you’ve known him longer than I have, but I do care for him, a lot. I fell for him, and I know people might think that’s stupid given how we met, I really don’t care.”

“Do you really think you two will end up together forever, really? It’s best if you end it now. Science is always going to be your mistress, and while he might be okay with it now, it’s bound to change.”

“I have done well with balancing work and personal life. Alright? Can we not do this now?”

“I’m just voicing my concerns.”

“You… Hello Cecil! Let’s get you into your clothes.” Carlos shot Kevin a quick glare before helping Cecil into his first outfit of the night, while Kevin watched him carefully.

* * *

 

Watching Cecil and Kevin dance together on-stage was just as mesmerizing as it was the first time. Bodies gyrating against each other, fragile almost-kisses. Then they announced Earl, and Kevin and Cecil sought out people to dance for in the crowd. Carlos nursed at a soda while he waited for the end of the night.

* * *

 

They were at home, Cecil on his lap and grinding down against him, loud breaths huffing out and then he was beneath Carlos, moaning as they rutted against each other. “I missed you so much, I’m so happy you’re home,” Cecil breathed, pulling Carlos’ hips down against him.

“I missed you, too, god, I wanted to come back as soon as I left, but, god. I love you.” Carlos reached down to kiss him hard, all teeth until he slipped his tongue into Cecil’s mouth. Immediately, his mind turned towards asking why he had left, and then Cecil was back on his lap, lube in hand. He faintly recalled setting it on the table earlier, but forgot about it. Cecil gently easing himself open was far more important, and Tesla, those moans! He was perfectly imperfect, and Carlos couldn’t have it any other way.

Cecil’s hand on his cock was hot and slick as he covered Carlos’ dick with lube. Heat. So much heat, and Carlos moaned, throwing his head back against the couch. Cecil was slowly sliding further down the shaft, letting out soft moans. Once he was settled, neither moved. Cecil moved first, rocking against Carlos’ hips. Carlos nipped and sucked along his neck, a hand on the man’s cock. Their movements were slow and languid, just pleased to be with each other again. Carlos varied the pressure on Cecil’s cock in time with his thrusts.

When they reached the pleasurable cliff, they dove down together, Cecil groaning while Carlos moaned the other man’s name. “I love you, Cecil.”

“I love you, too, Carlos. So much.” Cecil eased off of the scientist and pulled him down to the cushions, nestling at his side. “Goodnight, my scientist.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, we are nearing the end! I decided to tack on a chapter for an epilogue, because there are some things that will need to be cleared further before I can officially call this fic done.
> 
> Also, the sex scene was sort of rushed. Asexual author here, so it's a little difficult to write when I've had so little experience myself.


	8. Engagement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kevin has gotten engaged, making Cecil wonder exactly he and Carlos stand on the scale.

If there was anything that made Carlos even more uncomfortable than the thought have having to leave Cecil behind, it was the idea of bringing up marriage. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to get married, nor Cecil unwilling, it was everyone pressuring him to ask already! The idea made him uncomfortable, especially since he would have to ask Kevin’s permission and blessing before anything.

And that was the problem.

Kevin didn’t like him one bit. He did, sort of, but not enough. And Carlos didn’t want to bring the complication of a marriage proposal into their relationship, not yet. Moving in together went well, raising the fish together, too. Raphael had passed away not long after he returned, ripe old age catching up to him. Now there was a new one in his tank, while a forget-me-not was potted with his body. It seemed appropriate to plant a flower in his memory. The new fish was much mellower, and they mutually decided to name it Tesla. That, and the Faceless Old Woman who lived with them, it was complicated enough. Cecil was slowly taking over the broadcasts for Night Vale Community Radio, only going to the club to dance for DoubleDipping sets, and that was it. The radio gig was going well. Most everything was going well, actually.

Carlos didn’t want to ruin it. If Cecil hinted at wanting a ring, then sure! He would make the appropriate plans to purchase a ring he was sure Cecil would like, and then pop the question. It wasn’t a big deal. Well. It was. It drove Carlos mad thinking about it nearly all the time. Thankfully, the Faceless Old Woman kept to herself on that front. “Carlos!” He looked up once he heard his name.

“Oh good, you’re here! Kevin got engaged!” Cecil crowed, his body shaking with excitement.

“Wait, what?”

“Yeah! Apparently Caesar asked him after whisking him away on vacation. I mean, I never thought of Kevin as the type to get married, but if he’s happy, I’m happy. He wants me to be his maid of honor, can you believe it?”

“I can. I should call and say congratulations.”

“Carlos.”

“What? Is something wrong?” Carlos could feel his stomach sinking.

“I don’t want you to think that maybe I’m going complain about not being engaged yet, or that maybe we’re not at that point in our relationship, you know? I just want you to feel comfortable, you know? Don’t feel like because they are, we have to.”

“Cecil, I know. Sometimes I worry that on occasion I’m not making you happy, but I know that I am. I’m not perfect, I know I spend hours and hours at work, but… I really care about you. I love you. I just don’t know that I’m ready to take that step. Or maybe I am, and I’m scared you’ll say no.” He bit into his lip, chewing it while he waited for a reply. He didn’t want to start an argument, but this all had to be said.

“How can you think I’m not happy with you? I am. And if you want to marry me, then we’ll take that step when we’re ready to.” Cecil stared at him, framed within the doorway. It almost reminded Carlos of that day months, ago, of him on stage in barely anything, completely exposed. This was a different sort of exposure.

“I’m not saying I don’t want to marry you. I do. I feel…. I feel as though we’re both taking this for granted, sometimes. We get so wrapped up in work, and then when we’re finally together. Whatever this is…it works for us. Besides, there’s a proposal to think about, planning the wedding itself, invitations, reception halls, the groomsmen and I guess bridal party, depending on whomever is going. Groomsal party? I’m getting off track. Scientifically speaking, there is so many things to do for a wedding.”

“Is this you proposing? I have to admit, that sounds like something you would say to propose…”

“I guess? Cecil, you deserve a better proposal than this. This is just me stumbling over words and trying to explain the way to feel in words that don’t make sense. I want you to have the proposal you deserve. Okay?”

“Alright. Alright. Let’s just have something to eat. There’s leftover Big Rico’s in the fridge, though we could just make the homemade wheat free pizza like we’ve been meaning to for a while.”

Carlos stood up, wiggling his fingers at the aquariums while he walked over to join Cecil in the kitchen. He smiled. “That sounds good, Cecil. Did you want me to work on the dough?”

“Sure. Did you want sausage, or pepperoni?”

“Half and half? Or did you want to go vegetarian?”

“Oooh, margherita pizza. How does that sound?”

“That sounds good.” Carlos kneaded the dough, humming softly. Cecil looked over at him and grinned, singing along as Carlos began to sing himself. He sang in English as Carlos sang in Spanish, the words overlapping into the chorus.

This is what Carlos loved most when he was with Cecil. They could just sing together while cooking, or kiss, and none of it broke their strides with whatever they happened to be doing at the moment. It was nice. Carlos began pressing the dough into the pan, belting out a longer note, waiting for Cecil to finish up with the sauce. He continued singing, letting the notes vibrate the air until his boyfriend began putting the toppings onto the dough.

He moved onto another song once the pizza was in the oven, pulling Cecil closer. Hips swinging, hands on his hip, walking the newly minted radio host into a basic salsa. “Carlos!”

“Hmm, what?” He stopped singing.

“You never told me you could dance!”

“Only simple stuff. Listen to the music in time. That sort of thing. I had to learn against a metronome because the way I used to dance…well, let’s just say the teacher will never be letting me near their studio again.”

“What did you do?!”

“Nothing. I did nothing I will admit to. It’s awkward dancing with no music, so either I can grab my mp3 and play some music, or I can go back to singing. Science reasons state I should grab the mp3 player, but I don’t want to release you.”

“I can grab the mp3. You need to stay and watch the pizza. You know how fickle ovens can be.” Carlos nodded, making sure the food wouldn’t burn. He waited for his music while the pizza cooked, the oven grinning all the while. Once the notes hit his ears, he swings his hips in time with the beat, singing along while the oven screeches about their food being done. Cecil swept by him to carefully coax the food out of the oven while Carlos pulled out a couple of plates from the cupboards. Dinner disaster successfully avoided, they served themselves and laughed.

* * *

 

They were watching the lights above the Arby’s a couple of weeks later. Kevin was fully enthralled within wedding planning, and more often than not, Cecil was helping. Carlos pressed a kiss to Cecil’s cheek, and then lifted a slice of white cheese and guava to his own lips. Cecil didn’t particularly enjoy the taste and texture of the two together, but he did. It was a rare treat during his childhood. Instead, his boyfriend bit into a chocolate covered strawberry. “Cecil.”

“Hmm? Wha is it Carwos?” Cecil answered around the food in his mouth, lavender eyes looking over at Carlos. Suddenly, the strawberries, the location, Carlos’ insistence on tonight being a night about them, it all made sense.

“Cecil Gershwin Palmer. Speaking from a strictly non-scientifically point of view, the point of view that is from one lover to another, I wanted to tell you this: I have never met someone who has completely and thoroughly embraced every part of me. You understand my need to understand the world and Night Vale. You have helped me with my personal life, with Raphael’s passing, which I wouldn’t say is as traumatic over sad, but you’ve helped. You worked with me, and while we’ve fought, we got through it. Cecil. I am so in love with you, and I’d like for you to stay with me until the day we are both inexplicably are turned back into stardust. Cecil Palmer,” Carlos paused, pulling out a small box from his pocket, “will you do me the great honor of becoming my husband? Will you marry me?” He opened the box, showing the silvery branches twisting upon each other, making a ring.

“Oh Carlos! I’m…I’m in shock! Yes! Of course! Yes!” Cecil’s cheeks flushed with excitement, his hand shaking as Carlos slipped the delicate silver band onto his finger. “Oh, it’s so beautiful…” Cecil pulled Carlos into a kiss, nipping into his lip.

“I’m glad you like it. I love you, Cecil.”

“I love you, too, Carlos.” Gently, the broadcaster tucked his head beneath his fiancé’s chin, looking up at the lights.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say this journey through this fic has been wonderful. Thank you all for allowing me to share this with you, and hopefully the epilogue will live up to expectations.


	9. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding day is here!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone who has stuck with me through all of this, and I hope this is an acceptable end to this wonderful ride!

This day was ordinary and at the same time, extraordinary. Carlos woke up a little later than usual, stretching his arms and swinging his legs off the bed. Cecil was already gone from the apartment. There was a note on his pillow, telling him he couldn’t wait to see Carlos dressed in his white linen shirt and white pants. That he would be waiting at the altar. The end was sealed with a kiss, and Carlos grinned.

He never thought he would actually get married. It seemed like a vague concept with no literal meaning until he proposed to Cecil. And then it was wonder, it was beauty. It was seeing Cecil in a beautiful dress. One Carlos had yet to see. Cecil was very adamant, citing that it was horrible luck, and some Night Valian terror would swallow them both whole if he even dared peek.

Of course, Cecil had left the dress with Kevin. It was the safest place for it, especially with how Carlos enjoyed investigating things he shouldn’t. He attempted to wheedle it out of Kevin, for just a little, wittle peek. Kevin, on his part, absolutely refused. Carlos smiled, getting out of bed to shower. The wedding was in a few hours, and he still needed to eat breakfast, have sufficient jitters and meeting up with his fellow scientists to calm down. He turned the knob in the shower, adjusting it to the perfect temperature to wake him up. Carlos took his time to wash his body, the lavender scent surrounding him. Then his hair, cleaned up to the optimum shine. Once that was done, he got into a science t-shirt and a pair of shorts while his hair dried.

* * *

 

“Carlos, open up!” Rachelle’s voice easily carried through the door, and he could hear Dave piping up in the background.

“Door is open, come in! Careful with the tanks!”

The scientists paraded through his door. There were some newer faces, as a few old team members left after a particular incident at the bowling alley. Carol had stuck around, but Kyle and Jose had left a little after their honeymoon, having found faculty positions at their alma mater. Carlos understood.

“Hey! What are you doing in normal clothes? You should be getting ready!” Rachelle rolled her eyes as she chastised him.

“I’m not ruining my wedding attire with wet hair. And besides, I haven’t eaten, and knowing my luck? I’ll spill something on it.”

“Did you want to go out for breakfast? Or do you want us to make you an egg and sausage sandwich with an English muffin as the bread?”

“I guess. I’m just really nervous. I didn’t think the date would really be this soon, or how fast a year blows right on by.”

Dave plopped himself on the couch next to him. “Carlos. You knew it was coming, it was all you could talk about for days on end. Just yesterday, you were going on and on about how amazing it will be to find yourself waiting for Cecil to appear. I know you asked for your own traditional wedding, and he was willing to compromise on it. Especially with Night Vale’s enjoyment of blood to seal everything. You guys have the bloodstone circle ready. As well as the ceremonial dagger for the blood sealing. You’ll be okay. The dagger is sharp and disinfected. You’ll be fine.” His voice was stern.

“And besides, you and Cecil have been through hell! Well, besides living here, of course. You being away to actually teach, and then coming back to reunite,” Rachelle offered not unkindly.

“I know, I know. I’m just trying to calm down a bit. Thanks, guys.” Carlos smiled. “And that breakfast sandwich sounds absolutely delicious, actually. Um. I guess I should get ready.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll have your sandwich soon. Just sit and relax. Watch Darwin. It’ll all be over soon. Oh god. I sound like I’m condemning you. You’ll be fine!” Dave laughed and got up to help cook.

* * *

 

Their wedding was outdoors, under huge canvas tents within Mission Grove Park. He and Cecil had put in a request to have the burning pyre extinguished for their wedding day. Thankfully, it was City Council approved, but he had his worries. Carlos checked it himself not once, but three times. Any stray sparks would have set the tent up in flames, which would not do. He was milling about at the altar, shaking his limbs to try and get the jitters out. Once the clock hit the appointed time, he watched as his groomspeople and Cecil’s groomspeople make their way down the aisle, and then Janice as the flower girl, and carried the rings.

Then it was the song he had been waiting on, and god, there he was. The dress hugged him where it needed to, and the way he walked exuded confidence. He looked amazing. Nothing else mattered but the man walking down the aisle, almost shy as he reached the front of the aisle. Next to him. “Hi Cecil,” he murmured.

“Hello, Carlos.”

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really, really enjoyed writing this. And thank you all for giving me a chance as a writer to make this whole story come to life. Want updates on what I'm working on? Just want to say hi? My blog is right [here.](silent-novae.tumblr.com)

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoying this so far? It's definitely different from my usual fluffy fics. You can come bother me [here on Tumblr](http://silent-novae.tumblr.com) to give me other fic ideas or suggestions for what you want to see in the future. I'm always up for suggestions.


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